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Glory Seed Devotional, 2018.01.22

“Everyone helped his neighbor, And said to his brother, “Be of good courage!” So the craftsman encouraged the goldsmith; He who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil, Saying, “It is ready for the soldering”; Then he fastened it with pegs, That it might not totter.” (Isaiah 41:6–7, NKJV)

What the world needs now is one more encourager! Discourager’s are a “dime a dozen” however one encourager is invaluable and can turn another’s world upside down! Encouragement planted in one’s life germinates into Hope, not hope in its “wishful thinking mode” but Hope in its “God’s got this mode” Ken Boa President of Reflections Ministries and Trinity House Publishers writing of God’s Encouragement and Hope offers this insight.

“People cannot live without hope. Throughout history, human beings have endured the loss of many things. People have lost their health, their finances, their reputations, their careers, even their loved ones, and yet have endured. The pages of history books are filled with those who suffered pain, rejection, isolation, persecution and abuse; there have been people who faced concentration camps with unbroken spirits and unbowed heads, people who have been devastated by Job-like trials and yet found the strength to go on without cursing God and dying. Humans can survive the loss of almost anything – but not without hope.” In other words, Ken Boa was saying what hope is to our broken spirit’s oxygenated blood is to our bodies,

“…and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.” (1 Thessalonians 3:2–3, NKJV)

Paul was telling the Thessalonians he and Timothy had been given the gift of being encouragers, a gift they took responsibility for, “…for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.” For them it came easy for others it may not be as easy. That is especially true for someone in need of encouragement themselves. Yet when people get together putting the other first then seek God’s strength and insight they will find the words to encourage the other and in return find the encouragement they need themselves.